The Irish Agricultural Museum, based at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford, officially unveiled its newest building extension on Friday 19 September.
This extension to the rear of the existing courtyard buildings is called the harvesting machinery hall and will house the museum’s collection of large mechanical harvesting machines.
Much of museum’s harvesting machine collection has been in storage since the early 1980s, because there was no room to display it.
Among the many exhibits in the new hall are a very rare Silverman haycock maker, a Ransome threshing machine and a Hornsby portable oil engine.
Other large exhibits, such as a rocket-launching cart from the Coast Life Saving Service and a rare Ferguson Brown tractor, will also find a home in the 320m2 gallery.
Many of these items made their public debut as museum pieces at the recent opening of the new hall.
Work began to restore the building to its present condition in September last year. It involved a host of Wexford construction companies, including Fitzharris Construction, Ciaran Kelly Restoration and Paddy McGee (Wexford) Ltd.
The total cost of the new building was in the region of €150,000. It was funded by a grant of €101,000 from Wexford Local Development, which also helped to pay for the installation of a lift.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, curator/manager Matt Wheeler said he was delighted to finally open up the new building to the public. Matt said he felt sure it would prove popular with museum visitors.
Matt also referred to some exciting projects in the pipeline, including a permanent exhibition on the history of ploughing and the chequered history of the three Wexford agricultural engineering firms, Doyles, Pierce and Wexford Engineering.
It is hoped that these displays will open by the end of October.
Museum chairman Peter Miller paid tribute to members of the Wexford-Wicklow Vintage Group and South East Stationary Engine Club who provided many hours of voluntary assistance preparing and restoring some of the artefacts for the exhibition.
The museum is open every day – from 9am to 5pm weekdays and 11am to 5pm at weekends.
For more information, telephone 053-9184671 or visit the museum website at www.irishagrimuseum.ie.
Cavan hosts IVETA event
The Irish Vintage Engine and Tractor Association’s (IVETA) National Indoor Vintage Show and Auction will be held on Sunday 12 October at the Cavan Equestrian Centre.
John Clancy, the organiser of the event, said that this year’s programme of events is the largest and most ambitious to date. The local organising committee has been running this national IVETA event since 2002.
Among the main features of the event will be a dairy display from farm to table. The event will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Massey 100 series.
There will be the usual display of collectibles, vintage cars, stationary engines and an enlarged diecast and models display area.
There will also be a vintage auction by well-known local auctioneer Matthew Donnellan.
This year’s selected charity is the Cavan branch of Alzheimer Society of Ireland and you can get further information from John on 087-6329362.
DH Farm Machinery offers vintage parts online
DH Farm Machinery (www.dhfm.ie), based on the Tubber Road, Gort, Co Galway, has expanded its range of replacement parts for vintage tractors that are available to buy online. The company is already an established farm machinery dealer and is now one of the first Irish-based online parts suppliers. Run by Declan Hayes and working in association with Quality Tractor Parts (QTP), DH Farm Machinery provides a 24/7 supply of parts with fast delivery. The full QTP catalogue is available at www.dhfm.ie, with over 10,000 tractor parts listed.
Date Event Location/Contact
11 Oct Armagh Down Vintage Rally, Scarva Down 00447766-425260
11 Oct Ballygowan Vintage Ploughing Down 028/048-97528814
12 Oct IVETA National Vintage Rally Cavan 087-6329362
12 Oct Kilkerrin Tractor Run Galway 086-8582259
19 Oct Banteer 50th Anniversary Ploughing Cork 087-1267516
19 Oct Welcome Inn Vintage Rally, Bandon Cork 086-2240145
19 Oct Rosscarbery Model Show, Rosscarbery Cork 086-6605931
26 Oct Coolrain 7th Annual Vintage Road Run Laois 087-2290694
26 Oct Moyvane Vintage Rally Kerry 087-2733305
26 Oct Ballinrostig Vintage Pat Hickey Memorial Run Cork 087-9974619
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